Originally Posted by
Danny42C
There are more "true to type" Walter Mittys around, and some of these have awakened interest on the "Gaining an R.A.F. Pilot's Brevet" Thread. If you go to Page 294, #5864 of that Thread, the first Open Post on the subject appears, and continues sporadically after that for some time. Meanwhile I had a PM from a member who had a 1945 Air Force List: he could not be traced.
The really remarkable thing about the whole story is that the BBC "Look North" Programme and the organisers of quite important events, seem to have taken it at face value without even the most basic of checks.
I would have thought that if a complete stranger turned up out of the blue, claiming to be a WWII Bomber Command hero - a Wing Commander pilot no less, in this case - the first thing to do would be to ask him for his log book. If he's "lost it" or "the dog ate it", he is immediately suspect. Check with the Index to the 1945 Air Force List. If he's not in there, in the Branch and rank he claims, he's a fraud.
It is a salutary tale,
Danny 42C.
Indeed. I remember reading a comment, possibly over on ARRSE, that it was easy to out a Walt simply by asking for his service number. Logic being that it's unique to the person and therefore verifiable and it's probably the one thing you will never forget in a hurry, with that specific detail often outlasting the ravages of time. No / incorrect service number is always going to flag up, even amongst the 'Special' types.